Rotary engine.



H. HEYEN. ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 19 10.

I v Patented Aug.29, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ATTORNEYS 0, WASHINGTON D c QFZ I H. HEYEN.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLiOATIOH'lILED JULY 1, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA FLANOURAPH CCL, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

TINTTED STATES PATEN T @FFTQE.

HENRY HEYEN', OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ROTARY ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY HEYEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to rotary engines operable by fluid under pressure, and has reference more particularly to a rotary engine comprising a stator casing, a rotor in the casing, a steam chest, a movable steam duct therein adapted to be arranged in different positions to direct the fluid under pressure into the casing in different directions, and vanes carried by the rotor and adapted to receive the fluid under pressure at opposite sides, according to the position of the steam duct.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, durable and eiiicient rotary engine which can be operated by steam, gas under pressure, or other suitable motive fluid, which is compact in form and comparatively light in weight, which is so constructed that the direction of rotation thereof can be reversed, and in which the motive fluid can be allowed to expand in the operation of the engine.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of an embodiment of my invention, on the line 11 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the engine; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical section of part of a rotor and part of a stator, showing certain details of modified form.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of my invention, it should be clearly understood that while the engine is designed primarily to be driven by steam, it can also be driven by other suitable m0- tive fluid under pressure. I have shown for example, a two-stage engine, that is, an engine comprising two units, the first of which receives the motive fluid primarily, and the second of which receives the fluid after it Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 1, 1910.

Patented Aug. 29, 1911. Serial No. 569,916.

has passed through the first, so that the fluid can expand in the operation of the engine. If so desired, more than two units can be combined in a single engine, to allow for the further expansion of the steam or other fluid.

Certain of the details of construction form no part of the invention, and can be varied in accordance with individual preference and special conditions, without departing from the underlying spirit of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I provide stator casings l0 and 11 for the two engine units, each provided with a suitable supporting base 12, and cylindrical in form. The casings have bearings 13, in which is journaled the main shaft 1 1 of the engine, concentric with the longitudinal axes of the casings. Each casing has mounted thereon a steam chest 15, cylindrical in form, and secured to the casing by means of flanges 16, bolted in place. Within each casing is a rotor 17, cylindrical in form and having a central hub, or sleeve 18 mounted upon the shaft 14, and secured rigidly thereon by means of a key 19, or in any other suitable manner. The casings preferably comprise upper and lower parts having respectively, flanges 20 and 21 secured together by means of holding bolts 22. The

casing 10 is of smaller size than the casing 11, so that the expansive force of the steam can be best utilized. The rotors have the ends 23 extended radially to form spaced flanges 24, which are in juxtaposition with circular end walls of the casing. The rotors have longitudinal grooves 25, in which are arranged pivot rods 26, extending from end to end of the rotors. Pairs of vanes 27 and 28 having hubs or sleeves 29 are movably mounted by means of the latter, upon the pivot rods 26. The rotors are provided with longitudinal depressions 30, extending at both sides of the grooves 25, and adapted to receive one or the other of each pair of vanes 27 and 28. lVhen one of the vanes is in the depression, the other of the vanes extends outwardly from the rotor, toward the wall of the stator casing, as is shown in Fig. 1. Spiral springs 81 extend about the hub sleeves 29, and tend to hold the vanes of the pairs in normal positions such that when one vane is in a depression the other vane is outwardly and operatively disposed. The end extensions of flanges 21 have cutaway parts or recesses 32 at the inner sides, in which the ends of the vanes are free to move. Each recess has therein a stop 33 against which the corresponding end of one or the other of the vanes can rest when it is in an operative position, for a purpose which will appear hereinafter.

The steam chest of the first casing, that is the casing 10, has an inlet 34, by means of which live steam from a suitable source of supply is introduced into the engine. It has an arcuate steam inlet passage 35 communicating with the inlet 34, and having at each end an outlet 36, communicating with the inner part 37 of the steam chest. This interior part or chamber 37 is circular in cross section and has a member 38 mounted to rock therein. The member 38 is substantially semi-circular in form, and has a diametrical steam duct or passage 39. The member is mounted upon a shaft 40, journaled in suitable bearing openings 41 of both of the steam chests, and extending transverselythrough the same from one end to the other of the engine. It is provided with a lever 42, having a handle 43, so thatthe shaft and the steam duct or valve member can be rocked into one or the other of its operative positions. In each of these operative positions the steam duct 39 registers at one end with an outlet 36 of the passage 35, and at the other end it communicates in a substantially tangential direction with the space between the rotor and the stator casing, so that steam can flow into this space in a tangential direction from the steam chest. By rocking the duct or valve member into its opposite position, steam will enter the casing tangentially, but in an opposite direction. l/Vithin each steam chest are projections 44 having adjustable set- 3 screws 45, and constituting with the same,

stops to limit the positions of the duct. WVithin the valve chest of the second engine is provided a like member 38 with its associated parts. The second valve chest also has an inlet 46 corresponding to the inlet 34, but provided with a twoway valve 47 which communicates with two steam conduits 48, extending in opposite directions and each communicating with one of the opposite exhaust openings 49 of the steam chest 15 of the first stator casing. These exhaust openings are arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the steam chest, and are so positioned that when one is opened the other is cut off or closed by the duct or valve member 38. This also cuts off or closes the outlet 36 directly above the closed exhaust opening 49. The exhaust openings of the second chest are connected by conduits 50 having a common escape outlet 51, through which the exhaust steam finally passes from the engine. The two-way valve has an operating stem 52 provided with a crank arm 53, to which is pivotally secured a link 54. The latter is pivotally connected with a crank arm 55, secured at one end of the shaft 40.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a modified form of the engine, in which the rotor 56 located within the stator casing 57, is similar in general form, as is the latter, to the corresponding elements of the preferred type. The steam chest 58 has an adjustable valve member 59 therein, corresponding to the member 38. The rotor has longitudinal grooves 60 arranged in pairs, and between the grooves of each pair has a longitudinal depression 61 over which is pivotally mounted upon a pivot rod '62, a trip 63. The grooves are undercut at the outer edges, and have pivotally mounted therein, upon pivot rods 64, movable vanes 65, each of which has a hub 66 provided with an extension 67 adapted to engage at the undercut edge of the corresponding groove 60. Strip springs 68 located within the grooves, tend to hold the same in normal projected positions, the hubs being cam-shaped, so that when the vanes are inwardly disposed against the rotor, pressure is brought tobear upon the springs. Each trip engages under the outer edges of the vanes of a pair. A yoke-shaped spring buffer 69 is secured under the movable duct member, for a purpose to appear hereinafter.

The operation of the engine is as follows, reference being had to the preferred form shown in Figs. 1 and 2: Steam enters the first steam chest, through the inlet 34, passes along the passage 35, and enters the duct passage 39, through one outlet 36 of the passage 35. The steam then enters the space between the rotor and the stator casing tangentially, and acts against the first extending vane 27, thereby transmitting an impulse to the rotor and driving the same and with it the shaft 14. Each succeeding vane as the rotor rotates, receives an' impulse from the steam, and the latter is pocketed between adjacent vanes. As soon as the vane passes beyond the opposite opening at the steam chest, the steam can escape through the corresponding exhaust opening 49, into one of the conduits 48. From the latter it passes through the two-way valve into the inlet 46 of the second steam chest, from which it enters the second stator casing, and after exerting its expansive force therein escapes from the second steam chest. As each pair of vanes passes under the depressed end of the member 38, the projecting vane is momentarily disposed inwardly against the rotor. The spring and the steam pressure against the back of the other vane at once returns it to its operative position after it passes the depressed end of the duct 39. When it is desired to reverse the engine, the shaft 40 is turned by means of the lever 4C2. This reverses the position of the duct member 38, and the steam enters the casing in an opposite direction. The pairs of vanes are symmetrical, and will operate in the same manner when the rotor is turning in one direct-ion or the other. The turning of the shaft 40 also operates the one-way valve so that the steam can then enter the second steam chest from the other conduit 48.

The operation of the modified form of the engine shown in Fig. 3 is similar. As the vanes pass under the depressed end of the valve member 59, they are forced inwardly against the rotor. This movement of the second member of each pair operates the trip to project the first member partially, so that the steam pressure against it will force it out the rest of the way, to render it operative to receive the thrust of the steam. The buffer 69 serves to absorb the shock incident to the engagement of the vanes with the duct member.

Suitable means are provided for lubricating the engine. Oil cups 7 0 and 71 are employed for introducing lubricant into the stator casing, and drain cocks72 and 73 are provided for removing surplus oil or condensed steam.

The bearings of the engine are of any suitable form, being provided with brasses 13 and have lubricating cups 74 for supplying them with oil.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent In a rotary engine, a casing, a rotor there in, pairs of relatively movable vanes mounted upon said rotor, springs tending to hold said vanes in normal positions, said vanes of each of said pairs being adapted to receive steam pressure in opposite directions, said rotor having radially extended ends provided at the inner sides with recesses movably receiving the extremities of said vanes, said ends having in each of said recesses a stop against which the corresponding extremities of said vanes abut when said vanes are in operative positions, a steam chest upon said casing, a member mounted to rock within said steam chest and having a duct adapted to be arranged in opposite tangential relations with said rotor, said steam chest having two openings each adapted to communicate with said duct in one position thereof, said opening serving for the introduction of steam into said cas ing from a source of steam supply.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY HEYEN.

Witnesses:

JOHN K. BRACHVOGEL, PHILIP D. ROLLHAUS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

